THE WHALE. 297 



name of short-heads ; and during that period they in- 

 crease so much in fatness, that they are said to yield 

 fifty barrels of oil, whilst the parent, who nourishes 

 them from her own bosom, becomes exhausted and ex- 

 tremely lean. 



The whale is known to be a gregarious animal, which 

 implies that they unite together for their mutual de- 

 fence, yet it seems wonderful how a shoal of such 

 enormous creatures should be able to procure a sufti- 

 ciency to eat. It is likewise known that they cannot 

 swallow any body that exceeds a herring in size, yet 

 they are infinitely fatter than any other animal, though 

 they exist upon an insect not larger than a bean. This 

 little insect floats in clusters upon the ocean, and re-, 

 sembles raw muscles very much in taste ; and this sim- 

 ple food is the principal sustainment, and the chief 

 means of supporting the harmless creature's life. 



There seems to be an analogy between the whale and 

 the elephant, for both are known to lead inoffensive 

 lives, yet both are the strongest and largest animals in 

 their respective elements, which are never to be dreaded 

 unless injured or provoked. The sword-fish is allowed 

 to be its greatest enemy, and one which the whale 

 seems instinctively to dread ; for, the moment it per- 

 ceives it skimming the surface of the ocean, this enor- 

 mous body appears agitated with fright, and endea- 

 vours to avoid the weapons of the assailant by turning 

 in an opposite direction to that which it takes ; but 

 vain are all attempts to evade it, the poor animal has 

 no instrument of defence but its tail ; and the sword- 

 fish is so extremely swift and active,* that it always 

 contrives to avoid the stroke, and bounding up into 

 the air, darts upon its victim, whilst the surrounding 

 element becomes dyed from the sanguinary stream 

 which issues in torrents from its wounds. The whale- 



